


Face the Strange

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-09
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-01-24 02:18:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1588034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Penelope finds herself floundering in the new team dynamics, Hotch is there to rescue her. But are there ulterior motives behind the most innocent of requests from her Boss Man? And will she be able to accept the proposal put before her by him and his girlfriend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She shouldn't have been surprised to feel left out when she got back from her trip to London. After all, the team had had three weeks to get used to Alex Blake without her. Reid was so excited to have a former mentor on the team with him, and JJ followed along like a puppy dog, wanting to be included. Rossi was too busy trying to keep his relationship with Strauss under wraps, even though it was the worst kept secret in their department. And Morgan was mooning over Emily all over again. She had no one left.

Sighing, she got up from her computers and stretched. It was late, but that was the way she preferred it. There would be no one there to question the tear tracks on her face. Picking up her purse, she stepped out of her office and into the hard body of someone. Looking up, she stared into the caring brown eyes of one Aaron Hotchner. "Penelope, is everything all right?"

"I'm going to be fine, Boss Man. You don't need to worry about me."

He closed a hand around her shoulder. "You are a vital member of my team; of course I need to worry about you. Now, what is going on?"

She took a deep breath and shrugged. "I feel sort of adrift, like I can't find my mooring. It doesn't make sense, but I'm rethinking everything in my life."

Hotch pursed his lips and gently guided her into his office. "I have noticed that you aren't your usual perky self, ever since your return from London. Did Morgan do something to you over there that I should know about?"

Penelope shook her head. "No. He was a perfect gentleman who was very obviously infatuated with Emily. I've become the third wheel, Sir, and it's just going to take time to get used to. No one has a place for me anymore, and with this job, it's not like I have time to make new friends out in the real world. Much though I love them, my internet friends are spread throughout the country and I can only talk to them so much. I miss my family."

To her horror, she began to cry once more and he enclosed her in a tight hug before leading her over to his couch. They sat and she tried to pull away, not wanting to further push past the boundaries he had set up that set him slightly apart from the team at all times. "You can never step into the same river twice, Garcia."

"Okay, Heraclitus, way to get all philosophical on me," she said as a small smile crossed her face.

"I got you to smile, didn't I?" She nodded. "And that's a start. Beth just called and said that she had supper waiting for me when I got home. With the way she cooks, I know there'll be plenty for three."

She rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "I'm not a stray kitten that you have to take care of, Hotch. I'll be fine."

"And you'll be more fine if you spend time in the company of friends. Beth likes you, and she's always lamenting the fact that she doesn't get to spend more time with you and the others. Please?"

Somehow, she knew that he would pester her until she said yes, so she reluctantly nodded. "You know, sometimes you suck, Aaron Hotchner."

"Haley said that to me once, when we had just started dating. She seemed to think I was really good at manipulating people to do what I want."

"Well, she was right." They stood and he led her out to the elevators. "I'll see you at your apartment."

"I'm planning on it, Garcia." And then he smiled at her and she felt all her unease melt away. They stepped into the elevator and rode down to the parking garage. She reached her car first and took off into the night, driving slowly as she tried to organize her thoughts.

"It's only supper, with both of them. It's not like he's trying to make a move on me," she murmured as she parked in the lot of his apartment complex. His garage door was just coming down and she smiled as she approached him on the sidewalk.

"Hey, you didn't chicken out. Jack is going to be happy to see his aunt Penny. When I called to let Beth know you were coming over, she told me that Jack was still up, seeing as how it's a Friday night."

She smiled, reaching out for his hand. "I could never disappoint my junior G-man. Let's head inside." He clasped her hand and led her up to his apartment, knocking softly at the door.

Jack yanked it open and launched himself into her arms. "Aunt Penny! Beth told me you were going to come over! I missed you while you were in England. Beth made stew and it smells so delicious, come in!" He tugged her inside and into the kitchen, where Beth stood, dishing out the meal.

"Hey, you made it! Aaron wasn't sure if you would or not." The smile on Beth's face warmed Penelope's heart and she nodded as the woman stepped forward to hug her tightly. "I've been meaning to call, but things have been so hectic with this new installation, and I wanted to give you some time to get back on Washington time. How was your trip?"

"I had a blast. Clyde showed me a lot of the sights in the city, when we had free time. Morgan spent a lot of time with Emily, which I should have expected, seeing as how they acted at Jayje's wedding. Clyde is nothing like what Emily tried to warn me about."

"People are often very different from what we hear about them. Take a seat, we're ready to eat." She did and was surprised when Beth sat next to her, smiling shyly. "I've always wanted to go to England. There are so many wonderful museums there. I mean, France and Italy have wonderful museums, but England is my dream vacation."

"The weather wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had assumed it would rain all the time, and it didn't, so that was nice. Clyde took me to Bath one weekend. I loved it so much."

Jack and Aaron took their seats across from them and began to eat as they included themselves in the conversation. After Jack had finished, Aaron kissed his son and sent him off to bed before pulling out a bottle of wine and three glasses. "I hope that you don't mind white wine, Penelope."

"No, that will be fine," she replied, taking the glass from his hand. After he'd poured out the other glasses, Beth stood as well, motioning her into the living room. "So, what's the new installation?" Penelope asked as she settled back on the sofa.

"Roger Mapplethorpe. I know that I should be impartial, but I cannot stand his style of art."

"Isn't he the guy who did black and whites of nude men?"

"Yeah, and that's not what bothers me. Personally, I think his voice was stale. There was nothing revolutionary or introspective about his work, in my opinion. And I know that doesn't reflect well on me, but I can't help how I feel."

"I feel the same way about Jackson Pollock." Beth gasped a little, touching her chest in horror, before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Yeah, he's my second least-favorite artist. What can I say; I'm a romantic at heart. I love John Singer Sargent, Waterhouse, Da Vinci, and so many others. I wish I could live in the past sometime, and see what inspired them to leave such beauty to us."

Penelope nodded and sipped at her wine, feeling more relaxed around the woman as they talked. She could tell that Hotch was bemused by them, since she could see him shaking his head from out the corner of her eye. "What, Hotch?"

"I'm just facing the strange, Garcia."

"Oh, ha ha, very funny." She stuck her tongue out at him and was rewarded with one of his full smiles.

"I know." A small laugh escaped his lips and Penelope knew she'd had enough. Tugging the pillow out from behind her back, she threw it at him, hitting him square in the chest. Beth tried to swallow her own laugh as she downed the rest of her wine, setting the glass aside so that she could join in the fun.

Somehow, in the midst of their pillow fight (induced by the wine, she was sure), Beth pinned her to the floor and she stared up at the other woman. A familiar look of desire darkened her eyes and Penelope tilted her head slightly to the right. Beth took this as an opening and dipped her head down, kissing her quickly. "I'm sorry," she murmured, blushing deeply as she got up off her, going over to Hotch's side.

"Not a problem, Beth." She stood as well, going back over to the couch and curling up in the corner, watching them. Beth took a seat on his lap, a shy smile on her face. "So, what do you think of Georgia O'Keefe?"

"Oh, I love her paintings of the Southwest. I cannot wait to take a trip out there and see it. It will be different, of course, but still, I'll be able to feel a little bit of what she did." Penelope nodded enthusiastically, even as she tried to swallow a yawn. "You know, if you're tired, you could crash on the couch tonight. We have extra blankets."

"I wouldn't want to impose…"

"It wouldn't be an imposition, I promise. Please?"

Penelope thought about it for a moment before nodding. "All right."

"Great! I'll go grab you a blanket while Aaron keeps you company!" The woman jumped up and hurried over to what Penelope assumed was their bedroom, closing the door behind her.

"Boss Man, what is going on here?"

He just shrugged and gave her a knowing half-smile. "Beth wants to be friends." All she could do was stare at him, knowing there was something he was keeping a secret from her. And she was not one to like secrets. Somehow, she would get to the bottom of this.


	2. Chapter 2

When Penelope woke up the next morning, it took her a moment to orient herself. Sitting up, she stretched and opened her eyes, only to find herself looking into Beth's large blue eyes. "Good morning, Penelope," she said with a wide smile.

"G-good morning." She blinked rapidly, trying to get centered as she stared at Beth. "Do you need something?"

"No, just wanted to see if you had slept okay. Jack wants to go out and play soccer for a while before lunch, so Aaron left us alone. Is there something you'd like for breakfast? Oh, and Aaron brought in your go bag, so you can take a shower and get changed while I whip something up for us."

Penelope nodded slowly. "I guess I'd like some chocolate chip waffles."

"All right. The bathroom is the door facing you at the end of the hall. See you in just a bit." The woman reached out and caressed her hand, smiling widely at her.

She got up and picked her bag off the floor, practically fleeing to the bathroom. There was something definitely going on, and she wasn't sure she liked where things were heading. It almost seemed like Beth was coming on to her and Hotch was okay with it. Shaking her head as she locked the bathroom door, Penelope quickly stripped and stepped into the shower, letting the water fall down on her. Looking around, she found some of Beth's shampoo and conditioner, using it to wash her hair.

 _But, she is really pretty_ , Penelope thought as she washed the conditioner out of her hair. Turning the water off, she pulled a towel off the bar and dried off before stepping out. She dressed quickly and went out to the kitchen, dropping her bag by the couch as she passed it. "I hope you don't mind, but I used your shampoo."

"That's okay. Um, so, you've probably wondered what is going on."

Beth's face was bright red and she looked anywhere but at Penelope as she set a plate down in front of her. "Maybe just a little, Beth. It seems like you both had an ulterior motive to asking me over last night."

Beth took a seat across from her, staring into her coffee mug. "I did. I've been bugging him about bringing you over. I really do want to be friends with you, but something more as well. And I know you have a crush on Aaron, I've seen it in your eyes. You mask it well, but when you have a crush on someone as well, you know what signs to look for." A quick smile flickered over her face and Penelope felt the corners of her lips turn up as well.

"Well, it's sort of easy to crush on Hotch." Beth looked up at her and nodded. "But you have a crush on me?"

"It's so stupid, I know. But you're so free and bold. Aaron talks about how awesome you are, and he always sounds half in awe of what you can do." The blush returned to Beth's cheeks and Penelope took a bite of food to distract herself from the feelings that were swirling in the pit of her stomach.

"It's not stupid, Beth, it's flattering. But I'm not going to come between you and Hotch. I wouldn't ruin his happiness."

A disappointed look flashed over Beth's face. "I don't think you understand. We've discussed this at length, and…" Her voice trailed off as her bottom lip began to quiver. "You know what, never mind. I should have known that this was stupid and silly when I suggested it to Aaron. Forget I even brought it up." She brought her cup up to her mouth and took a sip, as if to distance herself from the conversation she had tried to begin.

The waffle, which had started out so delicious, seemed to turn to ash in her mouth as Penelope realized she had inadvertently hurt Beth. She half-heartedly ate the last few bites of her food before getting up and putting the plate in the sink. "Beth?"

The woman turned slightly, looking at her. Her blue eyes were luminous with unshed tears and Penelope welled up in sympathy, opening her arms. Beth stood and fell into the embrace, crying as Penelope rubbed her back. "I just assumed you'd be into girls, too, since that's what I had hoped for. I'm sorry."

"Shh, don't be sorry. I'm not offended, I promise." She turned her head and kissed Beth's cheek lightly. "Let's go out to the living room, okay?" Beth nodded and let Penelope lead her over to the couch, where they curled up together, Beth's head coming to rest on her shoulder. "I've been with girls before, when I was underground. I've just never been one to seek out group sex. Even if I can't commit myself to one person, it doesn't mean that I'm not a romantic at heart. I mean, I erase the video evidence of Rossi and Strauss making out in her office."

Beth laughed at that, nodding against her chest. "That is adorable. Aaron said they're worse than teenagers, always sneaking off to neck whenever he's home."

"It's true. I half expect her to end up pregnant one of these days, the way those two go at it." Penelope rubbed Beth's arm softly, thinking about what the woman had proposed. "Hotch is okay with you wanting to make out with me?"

"He's okay with a lot more than that."

"Oh." This was a fine kettle of fish she was finding herself in, and she tightened her arm around Beth. "Maybe we could all have supper together again tonight? Have Jessica take Jack until tomorrow?"

"I don't want you to do something that you're uncomfortable with, Penelope. And I don't want to guilt you into this. That would hurt you, which is the last thing I want to happen in this world. You have such a sweet heart." Beth nuzzled her face into Penelope's neck, her lips touching the pulse point just under her chin.

"But why me?" she murmured as Beth pressed her lips more deliberately against her neck, her hand coming up to cup one of her breasts, squeezing gently as she ran a thumb over her rapidly hardening nipple.

"You're beautiful," she heard Aaron say and gasped, sitting up straight to look at him. "Don't worry, Jack is still outside, I just came in to grab us some water. But that looks to be a little more fun right now."

She giggled nervously as Beth resumed her pleasant pursuit. "And you are totally okay with this?"

"Yes." She nodded and then gasped a little when Beth's fingers closed around the erect peak of her breast, pinching lightly. "I am more than okay with this."

"Good to know. Oh, god, Beth, you're going to have to stop. Please." Reluctantly, the woman lowered her hand and settled back in the couch. "You'll want to make that call to Jessica soon. She might have plans for tonight."

Hotch nodded and went back outside, leaving them alone. "I hope you don't feel like we're pressuring you, here," Beth said lowly.

"No, no pressure." Beth nodded and Penelope sighed. "This is going to be so weird, in a good way. Kiss me."

The other woman's eyes widened. "O-okay." Leaning forward, she pressed her lips softly against Penelope's. It was Penelope who deepened the kiss, running her tongue along the seam of Beth's lips, getting the woman to open her mouth to her. Their tongues met, and Penelope loved the taste of the other woman. "You taste so good," she said once they had broken the kiss.

"So do you, Beth." They smiled at each other and Penelope giggled. "This is totally unexpected."

"We don't want it to be weird or once," Beth replied in a rush.

A small part of Penelope's heart leapt up at that admission. "And what do we tell Jack?"

"If this works out, and we hope it does, we plan on telling Jack that sometimes families come in all shapes and sizes. He's used to having Jessica here a lot, since I haven't officially moved in with Aaron."

"There is that."

"Besides, I'm trying to convince him to move into my place. I have a house, with two extra bedrooms, which would be great for sleepovers." Penelope nodded and reached out for Beth's hand, needing something to anchor herself to her new, and strange, reality.

"Are we going to have individual sleepovers?"

"We were hoping to work all that out tonight. Set the boundaries of a relationship like this. Monogamous, and yet, between the three of us." Beth's smile was so genuine and sweet that all Penelope could do was nod and smile back.

"How did you manage to talk Hotch into this? He's usually so staid."

"Not in bed," Beth managed to squeak out, blushing a deep red. "That was something that surprised me, too, the first time we were intimate. I had expected the focus, since he had that when we trained. But, well, you'll see for yourself tonight."

"I guess I will." Penelope snuggled into Beth, letting the other woman pet her hair. "I'm glad that you trust me enough to ask this of me. I just hope it doesn't blow up in our faces."

"I'm going to fight to make sure that doesn't happen. And if you want to back out at any time, we'll understand. This is going to be an experiment, after all."

"We're going to end up kind of like that television show, Big Love, aren't we?" Beth shrugged. "Well, I did say that my life was getting a little dull at the moment." They both laughed and Beth rested her head against hers, a contented sigh escaping her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks again, Jessica. We really appreciate you taking Jack for the night," Aaron said as he handed her a small overnight bag. "Now, remember to be good for Aunt Jessica, okay?"

"I know, Daddy." Jack hugged his father before giving one to both Beth and her. Penelope hung on to him a little longer than she normally would, trying to steady her jangling nerves. "Have fun tonight!"

"That's the plan, little man," Beth replied as she ruffled his hair. He grinned at them all before bouncing out of the apartment, Jessica hot on his heels. "So, I thought we'd talk a little more about this before we ate, now that little ears are out for the night."

Penelope slowly nodded, taking deep breaths in order to calm herself down. "That is probably a good idea."

They went over to the couch and she sat in the middle, unsurprised to have Beth and Hotch sit on either side of her. "So, I know you like Hotch and you know that I like you. The last thing we would ever want you to do is feel uncomfortable, though, so if you don't want to do something, just let us know."

Hotch smiled at them, his arm coming to rest around her shoulders. "I'll admit, this is really unorthodox, Garcia. But, if it makes Beth happy, so be it."

"And what about feelings? Aren't you worried about jealousy springing up here?"

"Maybe a little. But, we'll deal with that like adults. I won't have this end up like one of those sordid movies. We both care about you as a friend." Hotch ran his hand down her arm, clasping her hand in his and rubbing his thumb against the back of it. She smiled at the comforting gesture, and leaned against him, staring at Beth.

"Hotch, I'm not sure I'm following everything here. And I really don't know you, Beth, as well as I'd like to just fall into something as beautifully strange as this is going to be. I don't want to hurt either of you, or Jack."

A sad look crossed Beth's face before she could hide it, and Penelope felt her heart crack a little. "I don't want to hurt him, either. He knows and trusts you, Penelope." A few tears began to roll down the woman's pale cheeks and she leaned in, wiping those tears away before kissing her gently. "Could we give this a try? Please?"

A tender smile stole across Penelope's face as she reached out her hand to Beth. "How about I propose a compromise of sorts? I know Boss Man quite well here, but you are sort of a cipher in my life. How about we go out on a few dates first and see if we're compatible? I don't want to entangle our hearts and feelings if we're not good together."

Beth clasped her hand and smiled as she nodded. "I think that that sounds like the perfect solution, Penelope. Thank you for even giving this a chance." Penelope shrugged a little as Beth leaned in and captured her lips in a soft kiss. It was easy to lean into those sweet lips, and Penelope wrapped her arms around Beth's neck, closing the distance between them.

In the background, she could hear Hotch chuckle lowly as Beth pushed her back onto him, the kiss lingering on into infinity, or so it seemed. She squeaked a little against Beth's mouth as she felt Hotch's hands come up to cup her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples to stiff peaks, using the lace of her bra to inflame her. "What happened to taking this slow?" she finally managed to gasp out, her breaths short and heavy.

"Well, it seemed like you were enjoying this, so I went with it. Oh, Penelope, if you could see your skin right now. It's so flushed and pink." Beth gave her a wicked smile before slipping off the couch and holding her hand out to Penelope. "And, personally, I think that we should see if we're physically suited before we move on to dating. Don't you?"

There was something so beguiling about the way Beth said those words, her eyes large and dark with desire. Penelope found herself nodding as she took hold of the other woman's hand, letting her pull her to her feet. Aaron brought up the rear, his hand coming to rest possessively on her ass. The move thrilled her, even as she fought to keep from shivering from the heat they exuded.

The bedroom was everything that she would have expected from Hotch, full of heavy, dark, furniture, muted colors, and few pictures. Giving Beth a wry smile, Penelope made her way over to the bed and sat down, looking at both of them through hooded eyes. "Well, am I going to sit here all night, or are you going to find out how well we work together?"

Aaron smiled, the gesture sucking the breath from her lungs, and stalked over to her side, kneeling down in front of her. "What do you like best? Or are you going to make us figure that out? Beth loves to be eaten out, she digs her fingers into the covers as she tips her hips up into my face. Is that something that you like?"

The unexpectedly dirty words falling from her boss's lips caused her to blush and squirm, rubbing her thighs together to stimulate herself. "I think that you're going to have to discover what makes me tick, Boss Man," she gasped out as he wrenched her legs apart.

"None of that now, Penelope. We want to be the ones to bring you pleasure." Leaning in, he pushed her skirt up her legs and then pressed a hot kiss to her core. Once more, she squeaked, desire rushing down every nerve in her body. "Beth, why don't you help me here?"

From the corner of her eye, Penelope watched as the woman loped over to them, scrambling on the bed and fitting her body against Penelope's back, her legs bracketing hers. "Is all of your skin so pale, Penelope?" Beth whispered in her ear before nipping at the lobe sharply. A hiss of air escaped her lips as she leaned back against Beth, unconsciously tipping her hips up against Hotch's lips.

The sound of her zipper sliding down her back was so loud to her ears, but then Beth was tugging the dress down her arms before slinking her hands back up to unhook Penelope's bra. "Her breasts are perfect, don't you think?" Hotch asked as he pulled the garment off her chest, throwing it to the floor. "Touch them, Beth."

"You don't have to tell me twice, Aaron," she replied before lowering her head to Penelope's neck to kiss and nip at the tendon as her hands cupped Penelope's breasts, her thumb and forefinger pinching and tugging at her nipples. Unable to hold it in any longer, Penelope let out a loud groan, squirming and arching her body to come in closer contact with those wonderful sensations that Beth's hands were creating.

In the haze of her desire, she felt Hotch tug off her panties, and then Beth was twining their legs together, spreading her further apart for their soon to be mutual lover. Penelope's eyes rolled back in her head as she felt Hotch begin to eat her out. He was ferocious, intent on bringing her pleasure, and she let her head fall back onto Beth's chest, her lips kissing at the other woman's skin. It was overwhelming, every fiber in her body screaming out for completion. When Hotch grabbed onto one of her breasts, his hand joining Beth's as they squeezed and tugged, Penelope fell over the edge into a sweet, heady, orgasm.

By the time she regained her senses, they were all naked, and she was ensconced between Beth and Aaron. "You're beautiful when you come," the woman murmured before claiming her lips in a warm kiss. "Aaron wants to make love to you now. Would you want to turn and face him or face me?"

Penelope thought about it for a moment and then kissed Beth once more. "I'll face you this time. As long as you pepper my skin with kisses."

"I can do that, Penny." Beth nodded to Hotch, and then his fingers were teasing Penelope between her legs, his thumb finding her clit with unerring precision. Soon, she was ready for him once more, and he slid into her with one smooth stroke. She smiled a little as she twitched her hips a little, quickly becoming accustomed to his girth. There was something so sinfully delicious about her boss and his girlfriend fucking her, about the fact that he was wearing a condom, where Kevin had refused to towards the end of their relationship, and she welcomed Beth's lips closing around her nipple, suckling strongly.

Burying her fingers in the woman's thick black hair, Penelope let Hotch set the rhythm for them, finding it so sweet and perfect for this first encounter. And yet, she was still surprised when her second orgasm overtook her so quickly, her fingers digging into Beth's scalp in what she was certain was a painful grip. Still, the woman kissed and nipped and licked and sucked at her breasts, never letting up throughout the entire orgasm.

"So, do you think that we're physically compatible?" she asked once Penelope had relaxed against her, and she nodded, giving the woman a tired smile. "Good. Now, when can we have our first date?"

Penelope giggled as she shook her head. "Let me sleep, I haven't had great sex like that in months, and I just want to cuddle here in the middle of you two. In the morning, we can start planning that first date."

She yawned widely before snuggling close to Beth, feeling Hotch's arm come to rest around both of them as he spooned his body around hers. "That will be fine, Penelope," he said lowly in her ear. "After all, we have all the time in the world."


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe that Aaron got called away on a case right before our first date," Beth said as she stood in the doorway of Penelope's office. "But he's never brought me here before. Pretty snazzy workplace you have."

Penelope smiled at the woman as she turned around in her chair. "I'm the technical wizard that makes the whole ship run smoothly. Of course I'm going to have snazzy digs. Did you want a tour before we head out? I think we have time before our reservation."

Beth nodded and held out her hand. "I would love that, Penny."

"One second, Sugar, I have to put my babies into sleep mode. If you want to grab out my purse, it's in the second left-hand desk drawer." The woman nodded and came inside, heading to where Penelope had vaguely motioned. As Beth was occupied, Penelope made quick work of the computer system before standing and smoothing the wrinkles out of her dress.

"You can't possibly be nervous, Penny. You're the most confident person that I know!"

She shrugged a little. "This is new territory for me. And I have to make certain that the waters I'm treading are kept as still as possible. I mean, it is sort of unconventional for a person like me to be in a relationship with her boss and his girlfriend." A deep blush stained her cheeks as she looked out the door. "Now, let's see about that tour."

Holding out her hand, she let Beth clasp it tightly and together they made their way down the stairs. "So, you have an office, and Aaron has an office. What about everyone else?"

"Well, Rossi has his own office, too, since he's a senior member of the team. Everyone else has desks down here, even Derek. He had his own office for a while, but he felt that it separated him from the team too much." Penelope felt like she was babbling, but Beth was giving her an encouraging smile, and that more than made up for any awkwardness she was feeling at the moment.

"I see. And does Chief Strauss have an office around here?" Penelope blanched a little at the mention of their boss's name, but she nodded all the same.

"Yeah, do you want to swing by or something?" she asked, trying to calm down her suddenly racing heart.

"Maybe. It would be nice to see her." And then, Beth was giving her a wide grin. "Gotcha! I know that it wouldn't be wise to upset the apple cart just yet. I mean, Aaron has mentioned that since she started dating Dave, she's gotten a little nicer, but I don't think that she could overlook something like this."

Penelope nodded as she led Beth over to the elevators. "No, she probably couldn't." Reaching out, she pressed the down button and they waited for the car in a comfortable silence. And then, Penelope heard the soft clicking of heels on the tile floor, and she hurriedly let go of Beth's hand as she turned to face Chief Strauss. "Good evening, Ma'am."

"Good evening, Penelope, Beth. Are you two heading out for supper?" she asked, the pleasant tone discombobulating Penelope a little.

"Yes. Aaron said that I should get to know his team better, since they're his closest friends. I thought I'd start with the one that he speaks the most highly of."

Again, she blushed, only see the older woman nod. "Yes, Ms. Garcia is quite the asset to our department. And she makes a wonderful friend, or so I've heard." The open yearning in Chief Strauss's voice had Penelope pursing her lips as she sighed, trying to keep from tearing up. "David also speaks quite highly of you, even if he insists on calling you his Kitten."

"Oh, he does that at home, too?" The woman nodded. "It was supposed to be an in joke between the two of us, and then it seemed like everyone knew. Does he have a pet name for you?" she asked, her mouth getting ahead of her brain.

The bright pink cheeks told Penelope all she needed to know, and then Chief Strauss nodded. "Yes. But, I don't think that I should reveal that here. Are you both heading down now?"

Penelope nodded as the elevator doors opened, and the trio stepped inside. "We have reservations at Chez Rouge in about forty minutes. Let me guess, you had plans with Rossi?" Erin nodded. Penelope darted a glance at Beth, who was giving her a completely knowing look. "Well, I'm certain it wouldn't be too hard to amend the reservation to three."

"Only if you're certain I wouldn't be intruding," Erin began, sounding like she wanted to demur. Penelope quickly nodded, wanting to reach out to the woman, along with softening her up a little so that she'd be on their side if anything unsavory was ever to come out about the relationship she was in. "All right, I'll meet you at the restaurant then."

As the elevator doors opened, she let Erin step out first, allowing them to stay back so that a small space distanced them. "I'm assuming that you have a good reason for that?"

"Of course. I've been thinking about the future, about what happens if some gossipy busybody decides that she doesn't like the fact that I'm sleeping with my boss and his significant other. That it's an unnatural relationship, and they'll do anything to see that I get taken down a peg for it. And I figure, if we have Strauss on our side, she might be able to deflect some of that scrutiny. Plus, I might make a new friend, and that's always a plus. Isn't it supposed to be a good thing to have friends in high places?"

Beth giggled as she nodded. "You do have a point there," she said softly as she reached out for Penelope's hand once more. "And, I may have taken a cab to work and here today."

"The other shoe finally drops," she teased as she led the woman over to her car. Beth shrugged before climbing into the passenger seat and buckling her belt. Penelope shook her head a little as she got behind the wheel and turned her car on.

It didn't take long to pull into traffic, and as they drove, Beth scanned the radio stations for something to listen to. Penelope pursed her lips as the search continued, since she knew exactly what she would listen to, but it seemed like Beth had something in mind that she wasn't finding. Finally, though, she tuned back to a classical music station, and then settled back in her seat. "Sorry, Aaron hates that in me, too. Until I hear a certain song, I can never settle on a music station."

"I'll forgive you this one time, but from here on out, driver picks the music."

"Fine, I suppose."

They shared a quick look before Penelope turned her attention back to the road. It didn't take long to arrive at the restaurant, and she allowed the valet to park her car as she and Beth went inside. Erin was already there, and Penelope took the moment to observer her before making their presence known. She was fluffing her hair lightly, almost as if she was nervous about meeting with them. The gesture was incredibly sweet, and she felt her smile grow a little as she reached out and touched Strauss's shoulder lightly.

As the woman turned, Penelope watched her body language soften up and become more open as she smiled at them. "You drive slow."

"Or you drive fast. Beth, will you talk to the host, and tell them we're here?"

Beth nodded, squeezing Penelope's hand warmly before heading up to the podium. "She seems sweet. Or at least, she made the effort to include me at Jennifer's wedding."

"She's honestly that bubbly all the time. I've yet to see her in a bad mood, and you know it's saying something when I say she's perkier than me."

Erin let out a little laugh, covering her mouth with her hand in order to muffle the sound. The move was so adorable that Penelope couldn't help but giggle in return as Beth came back to their side. "I think I missed a joke," she said.

"You're bubbly," Penelope replied as she casually slung her arm around Beth's shoulder. "Will our table be ready soon?"

"In about five minutes. They have to set up the third setting," Beth replied as she leaned against Penelope, almost heedless of the fact that Erin was at their side. Thankfully, the woman didn't seem to notice anything amiss, and Penelope relaxed a little as she nodded. "So, what's it like to date a famous author? Do people recognize him when you're out?"

Erin shook her head a little. "I don't know if money buys silence, but we haven't really had that issue. Now, if he were to actually go on television to be a consultant for those true crime shows, then it might be a little different." They both nodded as they were led back to their table, an easy conversation flowing between the three of them. And Penelope hoped that this was the start of a beneficial friendship for her.


End file.
